Himalaya Journey 2015

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We invite you to join us to a tour into the breathtaking Himalayan Mountains! Yashendu Goswami will personally guide this specially designed journey, starting from Vrindavan up into the mountains. Apart from the beautiful nature and the towns and sights along the way, the group will enjoy relaxing Yoga and Meditation sessions with Yashendu. It is your chance to explore and discover the Indian culture of the mountains, the lifestyle of people living in the heights and the power and majesty of nature.

The Tour – Where we will go

Our adventure will start at the Ashram in Vrindavan where you will first have a few days to relax and to adjust to the change of time and climate. You can explore Vrindavan, get to know Ashram life and of course visit our charity school. On 1st April, we will take off towards the Himalayas!

Our first stop will be Amritsar, the cultural center of the Indian state Punjab. We will explore the lively city with its focus on colourful, good clothing and tasty food! Obviously we won't miss its main attraction: the Golden Temple, a Sikh temple that attracts visitors from far and close with its beautiful golden shine. Amritsar will only be the beginning point however before our journey takes us higher into the mountains.

After a scenic journey, we reach Kangra, the town that gave the beautiful Kangra Valley its name. Kangra and its surrounding is described as one of the most picturesque areas of the Himalayan mountains. We will do yoga in this amazing nature and feel how the atmosphere of this place invites us to leave all stress behind. Kangra Fort will be worth a visit and the right place for a breathtaking view on the green hills and mountains around us.

Vrindavan

Kangra

Dharamshala

Palampur

Amritsar

Delhi

Next, we will reach Dharamshala, the place that the Dalai Lama chose for his residence in exile. In the world-famous town of meditation centres and buddhistic monasteries we will not only have a fantastic view but also our own yoga practice and some time amidst the international inhabitants. After this stop in the more known surroundings of McLeod Ganj, we will retreat to a place further out in nature: Naddi, a small but picturesque mountain town. Nature is never far up there! While you are already surrounded by the mountain ranges, we will go further into the nature experience with a visit to the walking paths and viewpoints of the area, taking along beautiful memories.

After having enjoyed the mountains to its fullest, we will move on towards Palampur. Palampur is known for its tea gardens supplying the whole world with tea! On a trek through the tea gardens, you will be able to imagine the life of the rural mountain people. Having seen how the tea that ends up in your cup is planted, picked and packed, we will finally start descending back to Amritsar, a journey on which the way with its mesmerizing change of landscape is the goal.

We will have our last day of this journey in Amritsar and will arrive full of all these impressions back in Delhi. You will come back home relaxed and full of memories of the magnitude of the Himalayan Mountains.

Our tour will be focused on experiencing the beautiful nature of the mountains without any stress. This is why we will not rush from one sight to the other with a fixed schedule, trying to fit as many sights into our trip as possible. We will have an outline for the trip and follow it according to the mood of the moment, the weather conditions and other factors that may play a role in deciding to leave a place earlier or stay there longer. The group will travel together by train and in AC taxis or a small, comfortable, AC bus.

Yoga and Meditation Classes

Yashendu will lead relaxing Yoga and meditation classes. Wherever possible, these classes will take place out in the amazing nature of the Himalayas, with view on mountains and rivers. Moving your body in the fresh air of the mountains and meditating in the majestic atmosphere of the mountain area is an experience that you will never forget!

Food and Accommodation

You will receive nutritious vegetarian, yogic food without chili, onion and garlic throughout the complete journey.

We will stay in 3 to 4 star hotels wherever possible. High up in the Himalayas this may not be possible but in those cases we will stay in the best lodges and guest houses available. We value the comfort and benefits of a good night’s sleep and thus will take care to always rest as well as possible.

Dates, Prices and Booking Process

The above schedule is an example as to how such a trip may work. We don't have any fixed dates for a group right now but are available to customize a tour for you!

Cost:

Cost to be announced soon

Our journey will end on the morning in Delhi at the train station. If you like, we can arrange a taxi to take you to a hotel or the airport. Of course, you are also welcome to come back to the Ashram and enjoy some more time with us!

The itinerary displayed above can slightly change according to the situation on spot regarding weather, hotel availability and group interests.

In order to confirm your booking, you need to make an advance deposit of 50% . Please also fill this form to let us know you will join us.

Please note:The horrible floods in the Himalayan mountains happened in June 2013 in the state Uttarakhand. This journey's destinations are in the states Punjab and Himachal Pradesh which were not affected by the flooding and are thus safe to travel to.

Which clothes to pack, what to bring and which temperatures you can expect

We will start from Vrindavan where it can already be quite warm. Temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees centigrade are not rare in daytime. As soon as we will reach the mountain region though, we will come into a cooler climate. While the days will be sunny and pleasant, the evenings and nights can be chilly.

So you need to pack some light clothes for warmer days but also some extra jackets, pullovers and socks to pack yourself in the mountain nights.

It will be a relaxing trip full of fun and joy but of course, there will be some walking included, even though we will not go for long treks in the mountains, so please pack solid footwear.

You do not need to bring sleeping bags but you should bring your own towel with you.

In previous journeys we experienced power cuts especially in higher areas. For that case it would be good to have a torch by hand.